Color a Map
Click to colour US states, world countries or one continent, add a title and legend, or paste a list or numbers to shade them, then download the map as PNG, SVG or PDF.
Looking this up…
Loading the map outline…
Click a state to paint it; click again with the same colour to clear it. + and − zoom, drag to pan.
Colour from a list or data instead
One per line: a state or country (name or code), then a comma and a group name, a colour like #e31a1c, or a number. Example: Texas, Visited — or — FRA, 68.4
Outlines: Census Bureau 2024 cartographic boundaries, simplified (public domain). Albers equal-area projection; Alaska and Hawaii moved and rescaled. Your map is made in your browser and is yours to use; nothing is uploaded.
How to colour a map
- Choose the map. US states, the world, or one continent.
- Pick a colour and click. Each click paints a state or country; click again to clear.
- Label the colours. Type a label for each colour to build the legend.
- Or paste a list. Names or codes with a group, colour or number shade the map automatically.
- Download. PNG, SVG or a PDF sized for Letter, A4, tabloid, A3 or A2.
What people colour maps for
States or countries visited
A travel map with a legend.
Sales or service territories
Colour regions by rep or office.
Election and survey results
Shade states by party or answer.
Teaching
Quiz maps and colouring exercises.
Reports
A choropleth from a column of numbers.
Presentations
A clean map in your brand colours.
Family history
Where ancestors lived.
Shipping coverage
Where you deliver.
Where the outlines come from
US states come from the Census Bureau's 2024 cartographic boundary file (1:5,000,000), drawn in an Albers equal-area projection with Alaska and Hawaii moved below the lower 48, as US maps usually show them.
World countries come from Natural Earth's 1:50 million Admin 0 countries, drawn in the Robinson projection. Borders follow Natural Earth's de facto lines; disputed areas are shown as Natural Earth draws them.
When you paste numbers, the map is shaded in seven quantile classes (each colour holds about the same number of places) with a ColorBrewer colour scheme. Everything is drawn in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the map in my report or website?
Yes. The outlines are public domain (Census Bureau and Natural Earth), and the map you make is yours.
Can I colour by numbers?
Yes — paste one place per line with a number. The map is shaded light to dark in seven classes.
What codes can I paste?
US state names or two-letter codes; country names or three-letter ISO codes (FRA, BRA).
Why is Alaska small?
Alaska and Hawaii are moved and rescaled to fit, as on most US maps.
Can I colour counties?
Use the County Map Maker.
Is there a print size?
Choose a PDF page size; the map is scaled to fit with half-inch margins.
Related tools
Google Maps Embed Code Generator
Make the iframe code to put a Google Map on your website — a place, search, directions, view or Street View — with size, responsive layout and accessibility title set for you.
Google Maps Embed API parameters (Google documentation)
Draw on Map
Draw freehand, lines, shapes and markers on a real map, see each line's length and each shape's area, label them and download the drawing as GeoJSON, KML or GPX.
OpenStreetMap tiles; geodesic lengths and ellipsoidal areas
Map Legend Maker
Build a legend for any map — colours, area, point, pin and line symbols, labels, columns and a title — and download it as a PNG (transparent if you like) or SVG.
Made in your browser (SVG)
County Map Maker
Make a county map of the whole US or any state: click counties to colour them or paste county names or FIPS codes with groups or numbers, add a legend and download PNG, SVG or PDF.
Census 2024 county boundaries (1:500,000)
ZIP Code Map Maker
Paste up to 300 ZIP codes, with group names or numbers if you like, and see their real boundaries coloured on a map, with a legend and GeoJSON or KML download.
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (TIGERweb)
Pin Map Maker
Drop pins on a map by address or click, give each a label and colour, then share the map with a link or download it as KML, GeoJSON or CSV — no account needed.
OpenStreetMap tiles; Photon geocoder